One dead as 20-car pile-up causes A40 ‘carnage’ in Oxfordshire this morning

Two others are treated for serious injuries after multiple vehicles were involved in the incident shortly before 8.30am.

A woman has died after a 20-car pile-up on the A40 in Oxfordshire.

Darren Weston, from South Central Ambulance Service, told Sky News that four people had been taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, “two with serious injuries, and two with minor injuries”.

He added that “a further four patients were cleared by specialist paramedics on the scene and discharge care given”.

The ambulance service said it had been called at 8.22am, while the incident stretched more than 1km between Witney and Carterton.

Mr Weston said that “freezing temperatures”, along with “icy road conditions” and “poor visibility” had “hampered our rescue efforts”. He added: “It was very icy underfoot, so even walking from one crash vehicle to the other presented its challenge.”

South Central Ambulance Service spokesman David Gallagher said: “There was a collision towards the front of the queue and the more serious one about half-way down.” An air ambulance attended the scene, along with three ambulances and three rapid response vehicles, Mr Gallagher added.

Six vehicles were seriously damaged, with minor damage to another 10 to 15.